Remove body tech - how did you do it?

[chevyin]

Strap the frame down on trailer. Then add the braces across doors, and in front of tailgate. Lift with cherry pickers and pull trailer out. Small PITA to move picker than move trailer repeat a couple times and done. I'll look for more pics when i get back home.

Garry

 

[Greg72]

JasonM, Thanks for the clarification. That helps me understand your method.

Jonrpick, thank you for the bit of information about JasonM's body not being a full convertible like my truck. That definitely must be taken into account.

Anyone else out there with any other methods or suggestions?

Cheers,

Rufus

Here's a simple reference pic for a way to pull the doors to save weight, but not have the truck fold in half when you lift it.

It's basically a second set of old door hinges installed backwards and a couple 1" square tubes welded to them, converging at the striker plate on the opposite side.

This is on a '72 by the way. It added a tremendous amount of strength to the a-pillar area and held everything perfectly straight while I cut out all the other structural elements in the footwell area. If your truck has rust....assume that it's not 100% structurally sound either.

 

[Engineered Vintage]

I lifted my '72 by myself with two floor jacks and a cherry picker.

I stuck the cherry picker through the back window (with the hatch open) bolted a chain into the rear seat's seatbelt holes, and lifted the rear off the frame. I then slid a couple of 2x6s under the floor and placed the 2x6s on two 55 gallon drums.

At the front, I lifted the whole truck up by the axle with the floor jacks (used two to keep it level) and slid a 55 gallon drum under each rocker panel.

It got a little hairy rolling the frame out from under they body, but it all came out okay

On the front,

 

[CDA 455]

I rolled mine into my basement. And lifted it it off with a couple 10,000 lb. straps and come a longs and then rolled out the chassis. I took about 3.5 hours and 2 buddies to pull the motor and get the chassis out. I wouldn't try the method you suggest unless you have everything VERY stable! If the thing falls over I could kill someone or at best be very hard to pick back up!

Here is a pic of how I did it>

You might be able to pick up one end with a cherry picker and then run some really strong boards under it and place them on some really stong saw horses etc. Then set it down and repete on the other side. Just what ever you do remember safety first and also remember it might have to stay up in the air for a while. Good Luck and welcome to the best site on the web!

Does anyone know what the weight of a typical pre-'82 CK5 Blazer body is?



This is an excellent suggestion for safe body removal !!

 

[rufusbooth]

Chevyin,
Thanks for the further description. If you do manage to find the other pics you mention that would be most appreciated by me and I am sure it would be helpful to anybody else that happens on this thread.

Greg72,
Thank you for the image of the door reinforcement. A picture is worth a 1000 words and it is quite helpful. I was planing on something close to this but also bracing from driver to passenger side. I like the fact that this is bolt on and does not weld to the sheet metal. I am going to make use of this :-)

Unfortunately I do have some rust but luckily it is confined to rear quarter panels at the wheel well lip on top. The rest of the body is sound thank goodness.


Igor,
Interesting idea. Can you go into some detail on the order that you removed the body bolts? I am just trying to envision when the body separated from the frame. It sounds like the back was separated from the frame and it pivoted on the front. Were the body bolts still in front to maintain stability (loose)? Then you raised frame and body in the front (leaving the frame on the ground in the back). Then I assume removing the last front bolts and lowering the front of the frame away from the body. Correct?

All,
CDA 455's request for typical body weight is definitely a useful thing to know. If anyone has these numbers it would be appreciated.
This is turning out to be an educational thread. Thanks to all those participating.


Cheers,
Rufus

 

[Engineered Vintage]

I removed all the body bolts at once -

And you are exactly right - the body pivoted on the front frame mounts.

Here's some pics...

 

[Steve GMC]

done it multiple times with a forklift or backhoe